The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, January 8, 2009

Scripture:

1 John 4:19-5:4
Luke 4:14-22a

Reflection:

We are in the Christmas Season until Jan. 11th. The Christmas story tells us that God loved us so much that he gave us his son. The readings invite us to allow God’s Spirit to love through us.

This Gospel reading is proclaimed at many ordinations, including my own. The call to priesthood is an invitation to love. We are anointed to love through our behavior, not just in word. As Passionists we love by preaching, counseling, serving and touching lives.  

Love is practical. There are many ways to express love. Christmas celebrates the giving of gifts. Perhaps forgiveness is the greatest gift we can offer. Another way is to spend quality time with someone. Encouraging and affirming someone is a way to love. Acts of service show that you care. Lastly, reaching out and touching someone physically or by phone or email displays love.

Our religion is one that has love as its hallmark. During this Christmas season we celebrate the wondrous love God has for us. Because we are loved so passionately we love God and others gratefully.  

 

Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P. is a missionary preacher, author of 12 books and creator of the TV program Live with Passion! airing in many cities. You can learn more about his ministry at: http://www.frcedric.org/

Ash Wednesday

On March 2, the Church celebrates Ash Wednesday. 

Most of us learned early in our Catholic lives that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and that is a time of special sacrifice in preparation for the Easter celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Dear brothers and sisters, every moment of our lives is a time for believing, hoping and loving…. These words of Pope Francis, taken from his Lenten Message of last year, 2021, and echoing the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, can still inspire our answer to the question: “What am I giving up for Lent?” 

We can draw our Lenten sacrifices out of our daily life: 

Share our faith in God’s presence by sharing in prayer with our family or with those in our parish community.
Share our hope in God’s promises by encouraging positive and respectful dialogue in our family circle and among our friends. 
Share the charity God has bestowed on us in the Passion of Jesus, with those whose sufferings are ignored or aggravated.

Let us pray for one another as we enter the season of Lent. Our Passionist “motto” can be our daily prayer during Lent, “May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts.”